The Stephenville Airport Corporation and the
Marine Institute officially opened the Safety and Emergency
Response Training (SERT) Centre Nov. 20 in Stephenville.

The SERT Centre provides safety and emergency response training
for the fish harvesting and marine transportation sectors
in western Newfoundland; the industrial and oil and gas
sectors in the province; and the aviation sector in Atlantic
Canada. All of these sectors require safety and emergency
response training however, each differs in terms of the
governing regulations, volume, timing and type of training
needed. The programs offered at the SERT Centre meet the
demands of these training requirements and improve accessibility
where, to date, access has been minimal.

In February 2003, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
(ACOA) supported the establishment of the SERT Centre with
$1,040,921 in start-up funding from the Strategic Community
Investment Fund (SCIF). These funds have been used to enhance
facilities at the Stephenville Airport including the aircraft
firefighting simulator and classrooms, purchase equipment
and hire and train faculty.

“ACOA has a long history of partnering with the Marine
Institute to improve its ability to deliver high quality
educational programs and training in Newfoundland and Labrador,”
said Gerry Byrne, minister of state for ACOA. “The
SERT Centre will expand post-secondary training facilities
on the west coast of our province and will contribute to
the long term sustainability of the Stephenville area.”

“We’re are pleased that the institute can offer
safety and emergency training to not only local industry
but to sectors throughout Atlantic Canada,” says Leslie
O'Reilly, executive director of the Marine Institute. “This
new centre will showcase the state-of-the-art facilities
and high quality programs available here in Stephenville
and contribute to its economy over the long-term.”

Paul Gallant, chair of the Stephenville Airport Corporation,
agrees. “We believe this facility will enhance the
viability of our airport and contribute to economic development
in the Stephenville area. Already we have conducted training
with firefighters from the Halifax and St. John’s
airports and provided firefighter training for the new town
of Natuashish.”

The Marine Institute’s training programs will make
use of existing facilities at the Stephenville Airport,
specifically a fire training field and equipment, considered
to be among the best in Canada. The SERT centre will also
avail of office and classroom space at the airport.

The combination of these assets brings a new capability
to the region, enables re-activation of the aviation fire
training facility and strengthens the safety and emergency
response training capability provincially and regionally.
The estimated impact on the economy over the three-year
lifespan of the project is $3.2 million.